20 Great Movies Since 2000 That You Forgot Existed

14. Eastern Promises (2007)

Eastern Promises brings new meaning to the term "underrated gem." David Cronenberg's London-based crime flick, which stars Viggo Mortensen in a transformative role as a Russian gangster trying to keep a crumbling criminal empire in line, is one of his best ever (and that's really saying something). Tight, tense, and twisty, Eastern Promises - though critically acclaimed - still hasn't received the widespread attention that it deserves; it's exactly the kind of movie that you want to discover by accident and recommend to your friend, who - in turn - passes it on to somebody else. Appreciating Eastern Promises, after all, puts you in a small minority; it flopped at the box office, pulling in just $56 million on a budget of $50 million. Mortensen is a revelation in the title role, whilst Naomi Watts and Vincent Cassel round out the supporting cast with their own sublime performance; these are characters, not caricatures, and you come away from Eastern Promises wondering why it isn't better know. There's also a manic scene in a bathhouse that you will never, ever forget. Seriously.